Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm



I stared at the man before me, the Recruiter. He was nothing like what I remembered in my past life. Oh sure, I knew that it was him. Same age, same name, same look, but I had to ask myself just how drunk I was in my past life ever to think that he was even remotely attractive.

His short black hair, styled impeccably, was clearly the result of a box die, and I could see just how soft his hands were. This man had clearly led an easy life before the end of the world and knew exactly how to ensure that he lived an easy life at the end of it, too. 

He was at least half a foot shorter than any of my guys, and his slim build, although attractive enough to some, was definitely not my cup of tea. Even dressed as immaculately as he was in his three-piece suit and tie, he was nowhere near my men in terms of looks or presence. It looked like I upgraded in terms of men, too, not just power. 

"What do you want?" I demanded, no longer as fearful about the man as I was before. 

"I am looking to borrow a few of your fighters from you," he said, looking between me and Wang Chao, unsure who he should be addressing. 

"Borrow?" scoffed Wang Chao, staring down the man. "I think you mean take."

"I understand that you are new to this club thing," smiled the recruiter, not at all put off by Wang Chao's attitude. "However, if you would like to say in business, there are a few things that must be done. I am not sure if you have ever run a business before, and that is okay. But there is this idea of give and take."

"I give, you take?" smirked the man holding me against him. I could feel Liu Yu Zeng's body shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter. 

"Hardly," responded the Recruiter, the smile on his face never once wavering. "My employer gives you the opportunity to own and make money off of this club and the fighters. However, that is done with the understanding that once they are trained well enough, they are then… drafted… into the upper leagues. Of course, you will be rewarded since we understand that it is hard for you once your top fighters have left."

"How kind," said Wang Chao, his eyes never leaving the recruiter. "But I am disinclined to agree to your request. If your employer has an issue, tell him to come find me. He knows where I am."

"My employer is not the type of individual that you would like to invite over," chuckled the Recruiter, shaking his head. 

"I wouldn't mind trying it," said Liu Yu Zeng with his signature smirk on his face. 

"Trying what?" blinked the other man, looking at Liu Yu Zeng for the first time. 

"Fighting for your employer. Unfortunately, no one here is at my level, and I have gotten a bit bored," continued Liu Yu Zeng. 

"I would have to watch your fight," came the response. It was clear that the Recruiter was used to dealing with men who thought they were better when they actually were. 

"No, you don't," said Wang Chao. "He is one of our best fighters."

"I would need to see him in the ring," stressed the Recruiter, the smile on his face slipping slightly. 

"Fine," grunted Wang Chao. "Find someone that wants to die and then put them in the right with Liu Yu Zeng." Mao Jing nodded his head and turned around. However, before he could leave, the Recruiter held up his hand to stop him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. Could you say that again?" he asked cautiously, turning his complete attention to Liu Yu Zeng. It was at that moment that I knew we had him—hook, line, and sinker. 

"Liu Yu Zeng," said my man, enunciating every syllable of his name.

"I believe I have heard of you before," smiled the Recruiter, now completely ignoring Wang Chao and myself. 

"Most have," grunted Liu Yu Zeng, clearly not impressed. 

"Black Mountain Syndicate, if I am not mistaken," pushed the other man, and I could see him rubbing his hands in glee. 

"You very much are," sneered my husband. I laughed softly at how insulted he was at being mistaken for a member of another group. "I am the head of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Thank you very much."

By this time, the Recruiter's eyes were shining, and I could practically see the dollar signs in them. It took him some effort, but he managed to bring himself back under control. Clearing his throat, he looked around to see if any of us had seen him. 

I smiled when his eyes met mine. 

"Well, then," he started, clearing his throat. "I should see his work in the ring just to make sure that he is what my employer is looking for."

Wang Chao exchanged a look with Mao Jing, and the other man turned around again. "No need to find cannon fodder," growled Chen Zi Han, narrowing his eyes on the more petite man. "I'll fight him."

"And you are?" asked the Recruiter, looking up at the man beside him. I could trace the line of his Adam's apple as he gulped at my giant. 

"Chen Zi Han," grunted my man, his face clearly showing how unimpressed he was with the question as if the Recruiter should have known who he was. 

"Chen- Chen Zi Han?" stuttered the man, now looking at all of the men around me. "And you are?"

"Liu Wei," responded the man, adjusting his glasses. "Liu Yu Zeng's older brother."

"I see. And you?" asked the man, finally coming full circle to look at Wang Chao. 

"Wang Chao," he grunted, "I realize that I have only been in business for a few years, but I think you should recognize the name Phoenix Conglomerate, right?"

The man looked at me, stunned. "Sorry," I shrugged. "But I am a nobody," I assured him, and the look of relief on his face was priceless. "Only the owner of the club. And the current head of the city."

"Also, our wife," added in Liu Yu Zeng, taking my hand and bringing it up to his mouth for a kiss. 

"And also, their wife," I added, pleased with myself for how pale the man went. It was really something to behold. 

---

Chen Zi Han looked down at the man standing between him and Liu Wei. There was nothing he wanted to do more than to pop the man's head off of his shoulders for the role he had played in Li Dai Lu's past life, but he held himself back. 

The sooner this guy got his ass in gear and took him to the Reaver encampment, the sooner they could all move back to the cabin in the mountains. 

He tilted his head back and forth, trying to work the tension from his shoulders. 

"Do you need to watch us fight?" he growled again. Why was this man just standing around with his thumb up his ass? 

"Nope! No," said the Recruiter, shaking his head vigorously. "I think you three will be perfect."

"Three?" demanded Wang Chao, raising his eyebrow. It took a lot of effort to not laugh at the look of fear in the Recruiter's eyes when he spoke. 

"You would like to be included, too?" asked the other man, his voice coming out no more than a squeak. 

"Of course," sneered Wang Chao. "Or do you think that a General of this country's army cannot fight?"

"Nope! Not at all. I did not say that at all! The more, the merrier," nodded the little man so hard that Chen Zi Han wondered if his brain wasn't rattling around inside of it. It would account for his intelligence level, that was for sure. 

"When do we leave?" demanded Liu Wei, his voice causing the Recruiter to jump. 

"Now, we can leave now!" he said, continuing to nod. 

"Then let's get going," smiled Liu Yu Zeng. He slid out of the booth and offered his hand to his wife. He took hers, gently helping her to her feet before he wrapped an arm around her waist. "Mao Jing. You're in charge. Don't fuck it up."

"Of course, Sir," said Mao Jing, bowing his head. He didn't know if their departure would make his life easier or more challenging, but they had warned him ahead of time that they would not be around forever. Now, with both the humans and the zombies under his control, he could have the chance to turn this city into something completely new. 

"Wait, you're taking her?" demanded the Recruiter, looking between Liu Yu Zeng and Li Dai Lu.

"I am. Or did you miss the part about her being my wife?" replied Liu Yu Zeng, cocking his head to the side. 

"I just don't think where you are going is… conducive… to her delicate sensibilities," said the smaller man, looking around at all the men who were towering over him. 

Li Dia Lu burst out laughing at his words. Looking over her shoulder at the man, she smiled. "I lost my delicate sensibilities a long time ago."

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